Note: In this story, Q visits Wesley. While there, Q "accidentally" kills the Traveller. Wesley later returns to the Enterprise sadly. Rating: Y8

This story is dedicated to The Traveller.

Note: This takes place just before Picard is killed by the Borg. That's it.

Disclaimer: The Star Trek characters belong to Paramount. I am not making this story to achieve anything except entertainment.

by Benjamin Scott Heckel, dandaman@integrityonline30.com

    Wesley watched the Traveller slowly prepare a camp fire on Dargos III (a planet I made up. There's a lot of made up stuff here). Wesley stared slowly at the fire. It had been seven years since he left the Enterprise.

    He felt a little homesick. He even brought several pictures of his mom...even his dad...and Captain Picard, who was sometimes even like a dad to Wesley, Geordi, Data, Commander Riker, Counselor Troi, even Worf...and a picture of them all together. "You miss your friends and your mother, don't you?" The Traveller asked softly.

    "Yeah, a little." Wesley replied.

    The Traveller blew a little at the fire, and the fire amazingly disappeared.

    "How'd you do that?" Wesley asked, amazed.

    "Have you forgotten that I am an alien?" The Traveller asked.

    Wesley grinned and nodded "No."

    Meanwhile, Q was watching this.

    "What's this? I imagine that I should put something less than happiness in the boy's life." Q said.

    He vanished onto Dargos III. A flash of light burst out and wind swirled around the Traveller and Wesley. Then, almost invisible hands wrapped around the Traveller and he flashed almost as if wiped out of existence, but first flashed out his hand. Wesley watched slowly. "Oops, it was only an accident..." Q said as he started to cackle.

    "Q...MURDERER!!!!!!" Wesley shouted as he jumped at Q and shot at Q with his phaser on kill (yes, he kept his phaser). But it was too late. Q vanished before Wesley could even catch a whiff of him.

    "NOOOOO!!!!!" Wesley shouted angrily.

    He had lost one of his best friends. He felt something in the sand...a note read: "Wesley, I know that you miss your mother and friends, so I am giving you this device to return to the Enterprise. Goodbye Wesley. The Traveller."

    Wesley opened the golden device and pressed a red button. Immediately, he was sent to the Ready Room of the Captain.

    "Wesley? Is that really you?" Captain Picard said as he got up from his seat.

    "Yes, sir." Wesley said happily, but with a little sadness in his voice and a tear lowering from his eye.

    "Wesley, is there something wrong?" Captain Picard asked.

    "Yes," Wesley began, pausing for a moment, "the Traveller...has been killed by Q." Captain Picard stood there, hugging Wesley.

    "I'm sorry," Captain Picard said.

Later...

    "Commander Geordi LaForge, Commander Data, Counselor Deanna Troi and Dr. Beverly Crusher, please report to the Bridge." Captain Picard said. "Everyone else in this room except Lt. Commander Worf and Commander Riker please leave the Bridge."

    The requested people came to the Bridge. Every requested person, especially Dr. Crusher, happily greeted Wesley back on the Enterprise. They all asked what was wrong.

    "Q killed the Traveller."Wesley replied to them.

    They gasped.

    "Dismissed." Captain Picard said. Wesley began to leave, but

    Captain Picard told him to come back for a moment. "Wesley, would you like to come back to Starfleet, or come back as just a regular person a starship?" Captain Picard asked.

    Wesley agreed to come back to Starfleet, and he was an Acting Ensign again, considering that he'd been gone for a while.

THE END